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Religion

Voltaire2

(15,164 posts) Mon Nov 12, 2018, 08:22 PM Nov 2018

Do zombies have free will? [View all]

The literature for the philosophy of the mind is full of thought experiments involving zombies. These are not Walking Dead zombies, they are instead just like you and me with the one exception that they have no conscious experiences. In all other respects they are fully human.

Note that their unconscious or subconscious mind is fully functional and they are just as intelligent as we are.

There just isn’t a chattering monkeybrain in there “experiencing” existence.

They make choices. They go to Starbucks and order chai lattes.

Do they have free will?

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22 replies

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Do zombies have free will? [View all] Voltaire2 Nov 2018 OP

Eh? Since there are no zombies, what's the point of inventing them just to prove a point? The... TreasonousBastard Nov 2018 #1

What point do you think it is proving? Doodley Nov 2018 #3

The point that discussion about zombie free will is worthwhile... TreasonousBastard Nov 2018 #4

Are you saying robots can have free will? Doodley Nov 2018 #6

I'm saying the discussion about robots and free will makes more sense than zombies... TreasonousBastard Nov 2018 #10

Here are real zombies that appear to have free will marylandblue Nov 2018 #12

Probably, yes, but it does depend on what you mean by "conscious" marylandblue Nov 2018 #2

Are you saying pain, hunger, pleasure, etc., are essential for free will? Why would that be? Doodley Nov 2018 #7

I am saying they are inputs into the decision-making process marylandblue Nov 2018 #11

No. Consciousness is necessary for self-awareness and self-awareness is necessary for free will. Jim__ Nov 2018 #5

So when you decide to sleep on it Voltaire2 Nov 2018 #17

I'm not sure what you mean by "*that* unconscious decision making process." Jim__ Nov 2018 #18

Processing information while we sleep Voltaire2 Nov 2018 #19

To be clear, you've changed your question. Jim__ Nov 2018 #20

Have you ever seen a definition of 'free will' that wasn't either self-referential or circular? htuttle Nov 2018 #8

And yet people intuitively believe they have free will. Voltaire2 Nov 2018 #16

The probably mean they have a decision process that is at least partly conscious marylandblue Nov 2018 #21

Do Trumpanzees have free will? RainCaster Nov 2018 #9

You said what I came to say. Lucky Luciano Nov 2018 #14

Do any fictional characters have free will? PoindexterOglethorpe Nov 2018 #13

They do if the author says they do. marylandblue Nov 2018 #22

I've seen them at Starbucks.. Permanut Nov 2018 #15